In 2013, Mi’kmaq filmmakerJeff BarnabypresentedRhymes for Young Ghoulsat TIFF. It was a wild revenge tale that took the horrors of residential school abuse that plagued generations of Indigenous young people and set it within a genre film structure, allowing the tropes of traditional horror films to echo with the realities of life on the reservation. His film was not the first to make this link overtly via this filmmaking style, but the uniqueness of his presentation was so profound, the film so accomplished, it forever changed the lens by which I understood these stories, using elements of fiction to more deeply touch upon chilling truths. Barnaby lost his battle with cancer back in 2022, and I miss his voice deeply. But, while watchingSeeds,Kaniehtiio Horn’s delightful directorial debut, I saw the seeds of what he brought to the big screen, a linking of his legacy to a bright future for Canadian filmmaking in general, and contemporary Indigenous storytelling in particular.
On its surface,Seedsis a pulpy romp, mixing broad comedy, chilling moments of dread, and full-on revenge horrorto make for an entertaining grindhouse mashup. Yet beyond the buckets of blood and eco-friendly messaging, there is much that’s more profound element to spy the closer one looks. From the casual mixing of Native and colonial languages shifting mid-phrase, to the bemused recognition of the charms and structural challenges of reservation life, there’s a casual sardonicism that’s infectious. Add in the notion of generational connections that are often as traumatic as they are uplifting, as well as the simple yet courageous refusal to accept the invisible lines of isolation that the social and cultural compromise that reservation system fostered, one can easily find the true darkness explored in subtle ways that goes well beyond even the most horrific of events we see play out on screen.
What Is ‘Seeds’ About?
The film begins with Ziggy (played by Horn herself), a Kanien’kehaka woman living in the big city, tearing up social media as a part-time influencer, full-time food delivery person. In her clips she injects dark tales from her Mohawk culture with wide-eyed glee, telling tales of dismembered limbs that still walk or the cannibalistic practice of munching the hearts of an enemy. Upending and deconstructing the very notion of so-called “savagery,” Ziggy spouts these tales as a mix of tabloid-like tidbits and a dash of TV true-crime zeal while at the same time speaking to a wider community embracing the salacious fun of her stories.
‘Seeds’ Becomes an Unorthodox Revenge Thriller
When Ziggy is called upon by her goofy-but-charismatic cousin (Dallas Goldtooth) to house-sit for her relative who is off in New Zealand picking up hot Māori men and basking in the sun, she finds herself once again back in both the comfort and the claustrophobia of where she grew up. With cat in tow and struggling to find a cellular signal, the everyday logistical challenges soon become matters of life and death, as a mysterious stranger is on the hunt for her family’s legacy to be used for nefarious purposes.
Asthe light comic story gets darker and darker,Horn’s film manages to keep the tonal sweeps from slipping out of control. This is helped by a fine ensemble — includingMeegwun Fairbrother,Dylan Cook, and even Greene himself — that manages to ground things even as events go completely awry. On the one hand, everything plays out in black and white moral poles, with clear enemies in combat with our heroine. Yet throughout there are elements that germinate in more subtle ways, never succumbing to didacticism but always moving the storyline forward.
The end result isa highly entertaining, highly provocative filmthat brings the best ofa revenge thrillerwith a boost of a bit of deeper cultural expression. Like any hybrid crop, this kind of mixing can at its best produce something better than the sum of its parts, while risking becoming little more than an incoherent mess. In Horn’s capable hands, she ably follows the lead of my much missed friend Jeff Barnaby, sowingSeedswith love and giving audiences a boost of bombastic, brutal fun along the way.
A strong debut feature from Canadian actress and filmmaker Kaniehtiio Horn.
Seedshad its World Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
